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Keller's Kolumn

I'm going to try and do a fairly regular column. The idea will be to provide some content for everyone and sort of give a snapshot of the league and everyone's teams - where they're at and where they're headed. This will hopefully be an IRL weekly column, with how quickly we advance theres no way I could do an in-game weekly column, lol. We'll see we it takes us...

Lets start with the Pac12

Pac 12 North Current record - 5-0 - Rank: Coach #8 - Media #13 - OSU continues to move up the polls with recent wins over Washington and Stanford. Upcoming games against Arizona, Utah, Wash St and UCLA will test their mettle but the showdown against UCLA is where things will get interesting. If they emerge from this stretch undefeated, their prize is even bigger games against Cal, Colorado and Oregon, then of course the PAC12 Championship. For this stretch of games though I'm predicting they come out unscathed.

Current record - 3-2 - Rank: Coach #11 - Media #10 - A big loss this week against the ultra talented Oregon Ducks will drop the Cal Bears rank significantly. Upcoming games against Wash St, Wash, UCLA and Utah - like OSU the real test will be against UCLA. Sitting 0-2 in the conference hurts their chances immensely of going to the PAC12 championship game, especially with OSU sitting at 2-0 in the division already. Its going to be an uphill battle for Cal.

Current record - 2-3 - Unranked - The loss to Oregon last week all but decided Stanfords fate in the PAC12. They are 0-2 in the conference and will now face the triple option attack of Colorado afterwhich they face Arizona, UCLA and USC. They'll be lucky if they emerge 500 after that stretch of games. Tough road ahead for Timpe.

Pac 12 SouthCurrent record - 5-0 - Rank: Coach #20 - Media #19 - A nice win this week over Utah but an absolutely brutal schedule ahead. Colorado, Stanford, Cal, Oregon St, Arizona St - 5 user games in 5 weeks and to top it off they finish up against USC which will likely be for the PAC12 South crown. If I were Frisk I would be signing up Drift for gay magazines and shipping him boxes of dog shit. Regardless, I don't see how UCLA can make it out of that stretch without tripping up somewhere and the game against USC for the right to play in the PAC12 championship game will be absolutely huge. Could be a magical season for UCLA if they can find a way to keep winning. Current record - 2-3 - Unranked - Coach Mason might not have been able to walk into much worse of a situation in the PAC12 - his Colorado team does not appear to be on par with PAC12 talent and it showed in 37-10 and 53-7 schalacking the last two weeks bringing their losing streak to 3 in a row. Next 4 games against Stanford, UCLA, Arizona St and Oregon will really push this team. I don't see anyway they can get into the hunt for a chance to win the South, not with UCLA 5-0 and USC 5-1.

Current record - 1-3 - Unranked - Disappointing showings in 3 straight weeks against LSU, Ohio State and USC have this team scrambling for answers. Wash St provides a reprieve this week before facing Washington, Colorado, Utah and Oregon. Again, not a lot of hope for this team to get back into the mix though they have only lost just 1 conference game. Who knows, maybe they can surprise some of those teams and get back into it after a disappointing first 4 weeks.

CUSA EastCurrent record - 2-4 - Unranked - A good win against Pittsburgh in week 1 in overtime sprung high hopes for the Knights but they have since failed to impress. Losses to Ohio State, Missouri, Rice and now UAB has coach Bond wondering about his job next season. They are 0-2 in the conference but I expect the Knights to get back into the mix with upcoming games against Marshall, Houston, ECU and Tulane. If they can still win CUSA East, they'll still go to a bowl game and coach Bond may even be considered for different jobs around the country.

Current record - 1-4 - Unranked - Hard to find a silver-lining for a 1-4 team. They are just 0-1 in the conference and have upcoming games against Memphis, Marshall, Houston and UAB. If they can start winning games, the week 13 showdown against UCF will become all the more interesting. Coach Pringle better start winning if he plans on keeping his job or finding a good job in the offseason.

CUSA WestCurrent record - 3-3 - Unranked - How a team that came ultra close to upsetting Texas in week 3 is 3-3 is discouraging but they are 1-1 in the conference with upcoming games against Tulane, SMU and UTEP. They should end up atop CUSA West with a good record, and with rumors surrounding Coach Stringer that this may be his last year at Rice, he needs every win he can get.

MAC West

Current record - 3-1 - Unranked - After getting, not surprisingly, torched by Alabama this Ball State team has turned it on. 3 straight wins and now a big time showdown against the hated EMU Eagles. Upcoming games against Akron, NIU and Toledo have the arrow pointing up for Ball State but only if they can get past EMU. Without beating EMU, they likely will not win the MAC West.

Current record - 3-3 - Unranked- After being the hottest coach on the market last season, it appears coach Cheeze's decision to return as coach of the Eagles was a mistake, especially given the tough schedule thus far. Losses against Rice, Cal and Wisconsin have derailed the EMU program but they look to get back on track this week against Ball State and coach Rawlins. Whoever wins that game should go on to win the MAC West. Will Coach Cheeze be the hottest coach next offseason? I doubt it.

B1GCurrent record - 5-0 - Rank: Coach #21 - Media #23 - Coach Keller waltzed into his alma mater after leaving his beloved University of Buffalo and has brought his textbook pro style offense and stingy defense with him. The Buckeyes have already notched big wins against UCF and Arizona state, allowing just 28 points in their first 5 contests before the big showdown against rival Penn State this week. Upcoming games against Indiana, Wisconsin and Michigan State will continue to test the Buckeyes but all indications are that this team is ready to win right now.

Current record - 3-1 - Unranked - After getting, not surprisingly, torched by Alabama this Ball State team has turned it on. 3 straight wins and now a big time showdown against the hated EMU Eagles. Upcoming games against Akron, NIU and Toledo have the arrow pointing up for Ball State but only if they can get past EMU. Without beating EMU, they likely will not win the MAC West.

Current record - 3-3 - Unranked- After being the hottest coach on the market last season, it appears coach Cheeze's decision to return as coach of the Eagles was a mistake, especially given the tough schedule thus far. Losses against Rice, Cal and Wisconsin have derailed the EMU program but they look to get back on track this week against Ball State and coach Rawlins. Whoever wins that game should go on to win the MAC West. Will Coach Cheeze be the hottest coach next offseason? I doubt it.

Another week, another update. Some teams buckle down, some teams get ran over and some coaches get ready to close up shop. The PAC12 is getting very interesting, lets take a snapshot and see where everyone is at.

Will we start to see where various coaches are headed?

Pac 12 North Previous record - 5-0 - Previous Rank: Coach #8, Media #13 - Current Record 7-1 - Current Rank: Coach #10, Media #10, BCS #9 - Without the loss to Utah (which was simmed I believe) - OSU would be headed into the game against UCLA undefeated. Given that their last stretch of games includes games against Cal, Colorado and Oregon - OSU cannot really afford to lose to UCLA if they want to stay in the NC hunt. They are now 4-1 in the conference and lead Oregon in the PAC12 South. If they beat UCLA they have to beat Cal then they will have to beat Oregon, most likely, to make the PAC12 championship game. Unfortunately the odds are working against them but they do control their own destiny. Prediction: Loss to Oregon knocks them out of the championship game. Rumors of top 20 programs calling the OSU coach are already beginning to swirl. Previous record - 3-2 - Rank: Coach #11 - Media #10 - Current Record 5-4 - Currently Unranked - Two big losses to Washington and UCLA all but eliminate the Cal Bears from contention in the PAC12. They are now 1-4 in conference play, rubbing elbows with the likes of Washington State. The last 3 games against Oreg St, Stanford and Arizona St may have Cal fans calling for coach BBJ's head already. A team this talented should be winning more than 6 or 7 games - I'm predicting at least 1 more loss in their last 3 games, if not two.

Previous record - 2-3 - Unranked - Current record - 5-5 - Nearly every game Stanford plays in are really tight games. A 1 point loss to Colorado, followed by 3 point victories over Arizona and UCLA and finally a 2 point loss to USC. Its a shame this team cannot find a way to win those close games because if they did they would be in the conversation with Oregon State and Oregon for the PAC12 North crown. But they are 2-4 in conference play, finishing up with games against Washington and Cal. Prediction: 6-6.

Pac 12 SouthPrevious record - 5-0 - Previous Rank: Coach #20, Media #19 - Current record - 8-1 - Current rank: Coach #16, Media #14, BCS #14 - As I predicted, UCLA tripped up somewhere in their last stretch of games, dropping a tight game to Stanford. The Bruins still sit atop the South with big games against Oregon State, Arizona State and USC looming. Prediction: 2 losses in the last 3 games take UCLA out of PAC12 championship contention. Too many tough games add up to too many losses. I'm pulling for UCLA but Oregon State and USC have an awful lot to play for and an awful lot of talent.

Previous record - 2-3 - Previously unranked - Current record - 3-6 - Currently unranked - Tough games have taken their toll as Colorado has won just 1 of their last 4 games. They finish up against Washington, Utah and Oregon State with their fate all but sealed already. Coach Mason better be hitting the recruiting trail, he has a very long road ahead of him if he wants to get competitive in the PAC12. Prediction: 5-7 and a long offseason. Previous record - 1-3 - Previously unranked - Current record - 4-4 - Currently unranked - Had Arizona St not gotten behind in the conference so early, they would be sitting pretty right now. Winning 3 of their last 4 contests with upcoming games against Oregon, UCLA, Arizona and Cal, they would have controlled their own destiny. They are 3-2 in the conference but they have an outside shot at getting back in the hunt if they can just keep winning. Prediction: A loss against Oregon and 1 of the other 3 games will eliminate the Sun Devils from contention, finishing the season 6-6.

CUSA EastPrevious record - 2-4 - Previously unranked - Current record - 4-6 - Currently unranked - The Knights are supposed to be leading this division - instead they are toast. Coach Bond is also toast. 4-6 for a team this talented in CUSA East has rumors swirling about coach Bond's departure. With his job in jeopardy, Bond has to find a way to bring the troops back together against Memphis and Southern Miss. Prediction: You're fired.

Previous record - 1-4 - Previously unranked - Current record - 1-7 - Currently unranked - Consider coach Pringle fired. Some say he has already cleaned out his office. If Southern Miss won all upcoming games against UAB, Tulsa, UCF and ECU - Coach Pringle would have a shot at staying but I see at least 2 of those ending in losses. Prediction: You're fired.CUSA WestPrevious record - 3-3 - Previously unranked - Current record - 6-3 - Currently unranked - 3 straight wins has the Owls flying high. The next 3 games against Tulsa, ECU and UAB are winnable games, possibly getting the Owls ranked in the top 25, though that is a long shot. They should go on to play in the CUSA championship which again should be a winnable game. Prediction: A good bowl game appearance should translate into a nice job for Coach Stringer, who is rumored to have been in contact with several schools already about possible openings.

MAC West

Previous record - 3-1 - Previously unranked - Current record - 5-2 - Currently unranked - The highly publicized matchup against the EMU Eagles went the wrong way in an 11-14 loss against the hated Coach Chucky Cheeze. Ball State finishes up against Toledo, Western Michigan, Ohio and Temple. Coach Rawlins is also rumored to be looking into potential job openings after his bout with Alzheimer's caused him to lose all memory of the previous 4 seasons as Ball States coach. Prediction: A Big Ten school that starts with an I - Illinois, Indiana, Iowa - also considering Innesota and Isconsin - lol.

Previous record - 3-3 - Previously unranked - Crevious record - 7-3 - The hottest coach last offseason has turned around his .500 season into a now successful season. Its easy to see why various Athletic Directors around the country want this coach - "Just win baby." Different offense, same results. Al Davis reportedly spoke to Coach Chucky Cheeze before his passing - rumor has it he has passed on some archaic wisdom to the up and coming coach, the likes of which we may never discover. Prediction: Mac Championship, good bowl game, good Big Ten job.

B1GPrevious record - 5-0 - Previous rank: Coach #21, Media #23 - Current record - 8-0 - Current rank: Coach #1, Media #1, BCS #1 - Coach Keller has hit the nail on the head thus far - leading the Buckeyes meteoric rise in the polls with big wins against rival Penn State and dominating perceived top teams like Wisconsin. The OSU defense has pitched 4 shutouts and only Sparty, 8-0 Illinois, Iowa and the team from up north stand between them and a Big Ten championship opportunity. Buckle your seat belts folks, the Buckeyes are back and currently sport the #1 recruiting class in the nation.